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Councillor arrested on suspicion of assault

AN Alliance Party councillor was arrested on suspicion of assault before Christmas.

It is alleged that Patrick Clarke, an Alliance councillor on Down District Council, was involved in a row at a hotel in Newcastle, Co Down, in the early hours of December 23 following a Christmas function.

Clarke was formerly of the SDLP but quit the party in 2010 and joined Alliance. Alliance released a brief statement in response to the hotel incident, announcing that Mr Clarke has had the party whip withdrawn. "The Alliance Party is aware of an alleged incident involving councillor Patrick Clarke and has suspended the whip as a precautionary measure pending the outcome of ongoing enquiries," said a party spokesperson.

The PSNI confirmed that the councillor had been arrested and released on bail. "A 40-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assault following an incident at a hotel during the early hours of December 23. He was later released on police bail pending further enquiries."